Rating 5: the view of the marina; very attentive service; fish tacos; chicken wings and boutique shop Rate 1: drinks & the chicken pot pie Bonus points: a perfect little double cut slice of chocolate cake for my friend. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Marina - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

A + O means Anchors and Oceans which is located in Newport Beach where the pretty boats are docked. Found this just by searching on Yelp. I called ahead of time to ask about patio seating and whether they allow dogs, and they said yes! So we came with a party of six people and one furry friend. Overall it was a pretty busy weekend brunch. The food and service here were great! I would for sure come back. I ordered the fish tacos which came with three big pieces of fish and were overall tasty! Also tried a bite of the lobster roll and that was also a must order, fries are also crispy and the inside tasted like fluffy potato. We had a fun time and just overall a great experience here. This was our first time here and it gave all of us the impression that we would come back! read more

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Beautiful views with good food. The marina is full of yachts and is great for people watching. We saw a beautiful sunset too. The staff were very polite and attentive here. Offerings - Duck Fat Fries: good but I have definitely had better. Went well with the side of ketchup. - Chicken Pot Pie: We saw this walk by and were incredibly intrigued. My friend asked if there were mushrooms and the waitress said there were. I didn't notice any mushrooms upon devouring the entire thing, unless they were mixed in the roux and were white? Overall, a great pastry, extremely messy, but the filling could have used a touch more salt. - My friends ordered the harvest bowl, the grilled whole trout, the fish tacos, the lobster Mac and cheese, and the charcuterie plate. All looked great. - All the drinks looked great too! read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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A beautiful spot for a summer evening cocktail. The openness from inside to the patio is seamless and bright with so many seating options. The firepits are fun and comfortable. Our server Deanna is the most pleasant and attentive and we love coming to sit with her every time. Their cocktails are always amazing. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Espresso martini - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Service was good. Food was alright. I had the ribeye which was cooked a little over. I asked for medium and it was medium well pretty much and some bites were super salty. my husband had the chicken pot pie which it really had strong chicken flavor and the veggies were not cooked they were hard and hardly had any flavor. Not worth it for $30. read more

Lovely waterfront restaurant inside a beautiful Newport resort! Great for a special occasions or when you just wanna have a great time. We came on a Saturday and the outside seating was almost full. The seating area is along the harbor right next to many stupendously huge yachts - worthy of Instagram photos! They have a great menu with many selections, but what I like the most are their plates - at this writing they have two plates on their menu and each is interesting on their own. Each is large enough for two people, and both are priced.$30s. I think they're great deals! And the presentation is fabulous! We had the fried chicken plate, it's definitely the kind to get if you like waffles and sweets. We also ordered the lamb chops and they were great too. Service was OK, I wouldn't say they're amazing, but consider how busy they were. I think it was adequate. But this is a place that you come for the view and the nice seaside ambience. The patio dining area is lovely on a sunny day. And a quick stroll around the resort after lunch was lovely too. The resort has a huge parking lot so parking with no problem at all. And the restaurant does validate! read more

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We had a great experience at A +O restaurant | Bar located in the Balboa Bay Club. We enjoy stopping at A + O while visiting NPB. Although it is located in a resort, it is definitely a locals spot. Everyone appeared to know each other from the area. Very friendly. We arrived around 11:00 am for Brunch and to watch the final day of The Masters. It was a rainy morning so we elected to sit at the bar. We typically enjoy sitting outside on the patio at the tables or the fire pits, if you still at the bar, you still have a nice view of the boats lined up in the harbor. Tia was the bartender when we arrived. She was very attentive and professional. Tia explained brunch was already over which we were a little bummed but she said she could still do a couple of breakfast boards. Neither looked like what we were interested in eating so we elected to go for lunch. We ordered Bloody Marys and they were delicious. We started with the Chef's Seasonal Burrata - Pistachio pesto, roasted beets, pomegranate, lemon olive oil, fresh herbs, grilled house made focaccia. This was very refreshing and tasty. It is also GF and Veg. I ordered the A+O Burger - Brioche bun, butter lettuce, 1000 island, farmhouse cheddar, caramelized onion, pickles, fries. I ordered it Medium and unfortunately the burger was cooked well done. It had great flavor but it was a little dry since not cooked to order. The fries were delicious, hot and crispy. My husband ordered the Pork Belly Sliders - Pork belly, butterleaf lettuce, roma tomatoes, fresh sliced pickles, spicy aioli, Kings Hawaiian slider bun. He said they were delicious. Tia left and Joe took over. Joe was amazing. Very attentive and friendly. Joe went out of his way to grab a drink I requested that was not available at the bar and brought it out for me. Very nice! The bar was crowded and Joe took care of everyone with ease while giving everyone attention. Cameron also came in shift and was very friendly as well. The service was excellent and we liked the food. If they had cooked my burger to requested temp it would have been perfect. We will be back! read more

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I'd recommend for the harbor views and some drinks. I would not have high expectations for the food, but definitely keep the wallet open for Newport prices. On a Friday night, service was subpar. My sense was that there was a staffing issue. My Caesar salad and focaccia were mediocre, and the tiramisu could have shone had it been allowed to warm up some more. The musician was quite good but we were not able to hear each other talk. Thanks for the views, but that's about it. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Focaccia and tapenade - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The view is the best and the main attraction of this restaurant. We have visited several times over the years, and it is always so nice to sit outside with a view of the water, boats. Our server was fantastic and checked on us regularly, making sure our water glasses were refilled and our cocktails delish. The food was fine. Not the most amazing meal but it is more than made up for with the views and the staff! read more

Wonderful staycation location. The food was great and service post-seating was equally great. My only reservation of giving this establishment 4+ stars is the pre-seating service. We waited at least 10 - 15 minutes in the front before someone came to take our name down. This was consistent for both dinner and breakfast time. As a guest to the connecting hotel, we were not informed reservations would be required or would result in a 30+ minute wait. Again, service post-seating was top tier. The servers were so kind, generous and a delight. read more

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Beautiful. Just blissfully beautiful. Dining the other night at A+O was truly an experience right before sunset. The Apps of the Burrata with Focaccia Bread was a perfect pair. The earthiness from the beets and colorful presentation was impeccable. The Clam Chowder had great chunks of clams potatoes and prosciutto! The only thing was that it was a bit on the saltier end of my food palette. Otherwise it was great overall. And the Fish Tacos are to dieee for. I loved it. For breakfast the next morning was even more spectacular. The server Liz was so sweet and kind enough to have our order of the steak and chimichurri pre cut and halved between myself and my friend. The fruit parfait and sliced fruit was absolutely perfect and a great ending to our meal. Cannot wait to dine in again. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Full Breakfast Spread, Parfait, Sliced Fruit, Avocado Toast & Steak w/ Chimichurri - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Location, location, location. Beautiful Sunday morning with warm weather and an outside table with views of the harbor. Life is good. Inside the Balboa Bay Club. Parking validation when dining in the restaurant. Great holiday decorations. Top notch service. Waiters were attentive and kind. I had the eggs benedict with fingerling potatoes. Great sauce with a hint of seasoning that was yummy. Potatoes were also good and cooked perfectly. Avocado toast delish. Would return and try their lunch/dinner menu. Could be 5 stars after trying something other than breakfast. read more

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Easy reservations through OpenTable unless you are a party of 5 or more. Valet parking at Balboa Bay Resort is validated through A+O. Service is very attentive initially. As the time went on, they were less attentive after all the food came out, but they were accommodating when flagged down. Food was great: a mix of contemporary and Californian. Shareables like the poke nacho, lobster roll, and the grilled shrimp were good. The Chilean sea bass was delicious. Décor is beautiful during the holiday season. The ocean views and breeze were great for outdoor dining. Lovely experience overall. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Lobster roll - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I've been here a couple of times already and I love it. The espresso martinis are my favorite, although the matcha martini was really good too. The steak with salsa was delicious, and I've also tried the burger it's really yummy. My favorite it's the Ahi Tuna Poke. One time we came for a family birthday, and they surprised us with a beautiful and delicious cake with a candle, which I really appreciated. I love this restaurant. It's next to the marina, so you can see the boats, which makes the views beautiful during the day. At night, it gets super cozy with a great vibe, especially with the fire pits. read more

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We had our brunch here off the menu. So impressed by the service and the food. We had an outside seating facing the yachts and the marina. The beautiful weather was unmatched with the fresh breeze. The music in the background was great. Our foods came and it was off the charts phenomenal. I would definitely recommend to try this place out. Also there's a boutique shop and they have cute items. I was with a member and had the chance to tour the members only area! read more

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Gabrielle is so sweet literally the whole team really knows how to make someone feel at home. Definitely recommend the Greek salad.

Came here on a Friday afternoon for lunch. Had the octopus and Caesar salad and a martini. My friend got the pork belly sliders. Prices are super fair considering the location. Octopus had bright flavors, a bit salty but truly delicious; the Caesar salad was also superb. Sliders looked DELICIOUS. Deanna the server was extremely kind and made the meal more pleasant. Would return! read more

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Food, atmosphere and Staff is all Incredible!! Deanne is a 5 star server and has also become a dear friend! read more

Magical evening at A&O at the Balboa Bay Resort. The happy hour is fantastic, and the setting overlooking the water and beautiful yachts makes it even more special. The tuna tartare was amazing, the wings were delicious, and the charcuterie board was wonderful. We also loved the burger and the lobster mac and cheese. Desserts were just as impressive. Deanna is the best. She takes such great care of us and truly makes every visit feel extra special. Another amazing evening. read more

Fourth of July fireworks could be seen from three different directions as you dine on the patio... The entertainment was really spectacular, Galo played all of our favorite songs.. throughout our entire dinner... ( we literally would come back just to hear him play) Our waiter dylan took great care of us ... the food was very nice however, it being the Fourth of July they were very busy so the service lacked just a little bit.. But you honestly cannot beat those great summer nights in the harbor.. plenty of heaters very dog friendly... Very nice size bar .... read more

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4 of us came here for dinner last Friday just in time for the perfect sunset. The marina views were amazing, especially from the outdoor patio where yachts pass by and fire pits flicker as the sun dips below the horizon. They have a couple of TVs indoors. Service was very good overall given that our lovely server seemed like the only one working that evening. When it comes to the food, the flavors were on point - I opted for something on the lighter side Ahi Tuna Poke and it was very good. I would order that again. Hubs ordered the A+O Burger with a side of Asparagus, Namaste Bowl and Steak Salad for the other couple. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Ahi Tuna Poke - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

A+O is a beautiful restaurant within the Balboa Bay Resort. You do not need to be a hotel guest to come to the restaurant. They offer valet and self parking too (the restaurant even validates)! They have a beautiful bar with TVs, a large interior space and a gorgeous outdoor patio that sits right near the boats and yachts in the bay. There are spectacular sunsets in the evenings. Their patio also features some cool fire pit areas which is a great touch! They have a great food, drink and dessert menu. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

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TLDR; Pretty sure this spot used to a pretty crappy brunch buffet spot. Decided to come and see what the new spot is like. Advertised live dj on sundays when we made reservations and there was no live music. Food is overall bland as hell, steak was chewy and dry and unsalted it seems. Chicken and waffles board was probably the worst chicken and waffles I've had, and all the sides that came with it seemed random as hell. We were excited to try a newish brunch spot out and to get a bottle of champagne for mimosas. Little did we know, that the mimosa would be the best part of the meal. This spot replaced a super crappy brunch buffet, that was one of the saddest buffets I've ever been to. Saw that they opened a new concept and saw that they advertised live DJs on sundays for brunch. So we decided to try it. We sat down and ordered the chicken and waffles platter and steak and salad plate. The chicken and waffle plate was really not that good, not a single item on the platter was good. Waffles, you can tell they tried to make it fancy, but just tasted weird and dry. The syrup, looks like they make in house also, not sweet enough and bland. The chicken was the least bland item out of everything, but it's not worth it at all. The steak was one of the chewiest, dry steaks I've had in a while also under seasoned, maybe even no salt. The chicken platter also had random items on it, that made no sense. Random sprigs of rosemary, marshmallow amongst other items. Nothing seemed to gel and it looked like they were just trying to fill the space with easy things. The mimosas that came with the chicken and waffles platter was the star of our meal. Honestly, I'd say it's hard to make food taste this bland and whatevers. With what they are charging, the steak shouldn't be dry and chewy, let alone not seasoned. Everything was under seasoned like we were in a cardiatric ward in the hospital. You can make better food following any recipe on YouTube. 2 stars for the mimosa and the server was very friendly, service wasn't anything to write home about though. Not busy at all, and a lot of workers just standing around. We didn't get checked on much throughout the meal. Oh and the valet was free at least. read more

The food is wonderful. (Try adding the Salt and Pepper shrimp to the Caesar salad). The waterfront atmosphere gives an upscale and laid-back beach vibe. The service is always impeccable (especially Rachele) and keeps me coming back again and again. read more

Growing up and living at the beach, I usually find that the closer to the water you go, the worse the food. This is NOT the case anymore. A+O is the absolute trifecta... perfect views, food AND service. We went multiple times during the last week when visiting Newport. It doesn't get much better! A HUGE special thanks to Andres for going above and beyond for me, late night after a long day at Disneyland. Thank you, Andres! read more

Great ambiance with good views of the water and parked boats. Beautiful food presentation. Fast and good service! Their food is delicious and they serve good coffee! I wish I tried their pastries. Best to make reservations. This is located inside the Balboa bay club and you can get validation for valet service. read more

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We reserved A+O for a party of 13 to celebrate my mom's 80th birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. For such a special milestone occasion, we expected our family to be able to enjoy a meal together. Instead, our food came out 45 minutes apart, we were a family that waits for everyone to had their food and by the time everyone had their food our sub par food was cold. That is simply unacceptable. Our server, Patrick, was very good and did his best to take care of our group. The problem was clearly with the kitchen. Food arrived extremely late, some dishes were not prepared as ordered, and overall, the flavors were subpar. The waterfront view is nice, but it does not make up for poor kitchen execution and disappointing food--especially for a special celebration. Skip this place. JOEY Newport Beach, down the street, near fashion island is consistent and offers a far better dining experience. read more

This restaurant doubles as a large outdoor venue that backs up into the Balboa Bay. My friend and i sat on the side of the restaurant so we were able to watch the concert happening (and hear it loudly) right next door which ended up actually being a lot of fun and very enjoyable because the music was great. Even though the restaurant was absolutely packed, service was reasonably efficient and the staff seemed to be in good spirits which is always a good sign. Most importantly - every dish we got was phenomenal. The pork belly sliders were probably (surprisingly) my favorites, while my friend raved about the Caesar salad. I would recommend every single appetizer and dessert we got, and the drinks were all great too! Very impressed by my experience here as it exceeded my expectations for a first night of vacation dinner! read more

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The ambience on the deck was fun, lively and the view of the yachts was incredible. The service was excellent (thank you, Phillip, for your help). Our food was delicious and we ate every crumb of every entree. The jidori chicken was my favorite! We will be back!!! read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This review is a little late but I must say this place is a hidden treasure in Newport Beach. Love to sit outdoors next to the beautiful yachts and water breezes. Food is always so delicious as are the cocktails. Service is also wonderful and the valet is complementary if validated. Great spot for a special celebration. read more

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I wanted to like this place so badly, I even gave it multiple tries but can't say I'd come back. This is going to be long but it's necessary. My first visit I came for what I thought was brunch on Sunday. Our server Danielle gave us the lunch menu. I asked if there was brunch and she said no, only breakfast and lunch. I said bummer, I could swear there were brunch options and that I'd look online for the menu. All of a sudden she realize that yes there were brunch board available which ended in 2 hours. It was almost as if she didn't want us to order them which was strange. We ordered the chicken and waffles board which was delicious. But ordered and giving us the bill was the only time we saw Danielle. So service was below par. Decided to give it a second shot and came again this past Sunday with some friends, we wanted to do their "Gin & Jazz Afternoon Tea" event. Our server this time was Jose. We had literally just put our butts in the chairs and realized one of the seats was completely in the sun and that girl was going to burn from the sun. We asked if we could perhaps move to another table, and he said there was nothing he could do and that he couldn't move the sun...uhhh. Not what we were asking but okay. Then he follows it up asking what we want to drink, but how would we know if you see we haven't even had a moment to look at the menu?? Again, service was not good. He brought out our food but otherwise was non-existent until it was time to pay the bill. If we ever needed anything we had to ask the server of the table next to us. I felt so bad that he had to do his coworker's job for him. But all of a sudden when it's time for Jose's shift to end and he is relying on us to tip him and close out our checks, he comes by 3 times in less than 10 minutes. How convenient. I also found it strange that we were there for the afternoon tea and jazz, and specifically requested the afternoon tea menu, but we were put at the very end of the restaurant away from where the jazz band was playing...? Would've made more sense to put us by the music since we specifically requested to do the afternoon tea event, compared to others who were just there for regular lunch service. Now for the food. The afternoon tea tower was $70/ person and included a cocktail ( valued at $20). We decided to start with a 2 person tower and a chicken & waffles board. The finger food tower came out and we were shocked. They wanted $100 for barely enough food for even one person!! Please look at the picture I'm attaching and tell me that this afternoon tea tower is worth $100. I understand it's finger food and not meant to be a full meal, but there is no way that could be valued at $50/ per person for a few bites. This event would've been better off as a children's event because the quantity of finger food for 2 adults was unreasonable. We ordered another chicken & waffles board and that was great as usual, and definitely worth the value for $35. Overall, like many restaurants by the water in OC, you're really just paying for the ambiance, location, and "vibe". Definitely not the service and it's good that I saw a job posting for a server is open because they need to retrain their staff. There's no reason why I've been twice in 2 weeks and both times had rude service before I even ordered! The only saving grace of giving the 2 stars is the chicken & waffles board which was fantastic, and the server who was working with the table next to us who we had to ask to service our table because our server was nowhere to be found. His name was Phillip and he was so kind!! A true southern gentleman. Our table kept saying we wished we had him as our server instead. Phillip was considerate, attentive, kind, and so so friendly. He really was the highlight of our brunch and if for some reason I find myself back here, I will specifically ask for him. Otherwise, can't say I'd come back. read more

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I was here last night for an engagement party and had a great time! The staff and bartenders were great, constantly checking on us and refilling drinks. We had a private menu for the event but the food was wonderful, especially considering the quantity that was made. We had a lovely view over the harbor and live music! read more

Hi Deanna A Thank you so much for your kind message and warm welcome to the Yelp community! I truly appreciate it. We were a group of five friends who had dinner at A+O Restaurant | Bar this past Saturday, from around 2:30 PM until 5:00 PM, and we really enjoyed our time there. The wonderful service and warm hospitality made our experience very special and worth sharing. Thank you again, Dia, for taking the time to personally welcome me. I look forward to sharing more honest and positive experiences with the Yelp community! Best wishes, Jamal read more

The views are great here, it looks out at Lido and all the boats. The restaurant is part of the Balboa Bay Resort. The service is good, the food is good, drinks are well made, nothing crazy about it. The price is a little much for what it is, but you're paying for the view and Newport. I usually eat here whenever I'm at the Balboa Bay Resort. read more

Great weather, great service provided by Natasha our waitress, great recommendation of cocktails and food entrees. This marina waterfront hotel restaurant was amazing. From the valet to the service. I had the smoked flavored BBQ platter, wifey had the steak frites. All tasted great. I indulge into the expresso martinis while ending the night with a smokey whistle pig old fashioned and live musical entertainment as the sun set. I'm sorry we we're hungry and forgot to snap photos. Next time read more

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Loved the outstanding Lemon Drop and outstanding food! Loved the supportive service (a nice gentleman helped me when I called for their location.) Loved sitting outside! Difficult to find the restaurant is within the "Balboa Bay Club"...enter at "Balboa Bay Club" entrance. read more

The view from A&O restaurant is just wonderful on a beautiful day. The food was also pretty good. We started with the tuna sashimi (which was steller)! I just wish there were a few more pieces of fish on the plate. We then shared the club sandwich. This was also pretty good but needed more aioli or some dijon mustard. The green goddess aioli was oddly bland and made the overall sandwich bland. The fries were on point. Apparently they have live music Wed-Sat nights and on Sun afternoons so we'd like to come back for that. Service was just okay. All the servers that day and the host had a really strange affect and weren't very friendly. Maybe it was an off day? read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Tuna sashimi - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Came in with a large group after the Newport Beach wine festival. The restaurant was able to accommodate us as a walk in. Drinks were delicious! I ordered the grilled octopus and it was a huge disappointment. It was tough and chewy. I haven't really had bad octopus until now. It also didn't look grilled? It had some weird coating on it, again never had a grilled octopus with a seasoned coating on it. I only took a few bites. Would not recommend the octopus to anyone. read more

A+O Restaurant | Bar - Grilled octopus was tough and not good - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

The view and ambiance have a hard time making up for slow service, cold and flavorless food, and cocktails served without a napkin so that it gets all over your dress when it drips. Our waitress forgot a fork so we had to wait to flag her down so we could eat too. No apologies for any of it, and I was going to order another beverage, but it was never offered to me! Nor was my dirty glass taken off the table. Safe to say I won't be back. read more

Love A&O. The atmosphere is great. Pet friendly. Please put the Turkey Club sandwich back on the menu. It was the best Turkey Club anywhere. read more